Chicago-born barber, designer, skater, and stylist Ibn Jasper teams up with Converse to pay homage to 80s basketball, specifically Dr. J, with his take on the Converse Pro Leather silhouette.
Growing up in the 80s, Ibn saw some of the greatest names in NBA history run the courts. One of those names was Julius “Dr. J” Erving, who was known for his free-flowing play style, being the first to ever dunk from the free-throw line, and wearing the Pro Leather basketball shoe. Ibn recalls seeing Dr. J walk into the arena with an all white outfit on and thinking “he looks like he just stepped off of the runway” and used this image as inspiration for his design of the Pro Leather.
The shoe has a white leather upper with grey suede over the midsole as a way to honor Irving style on and off the court and his legacy in basketball. Giving the shoe greater historical weight are roman numerals on the collar that translate to “1984” which is the year the shoe was discontinued after its initial release in 1976 which is engraved in the lace dubrae. The tongue has a snakeskin embossed pattern and below it is a zipper lacing system. Completing the look is the pink sockliner and stitched Star logo on the later side with a black embroidered stripe lying above it.
Take a look at the Ibn Jasper x Converse Pro Leather below and grab your pair online on September 26th for $120 USD.